Keeping You Near
by Tamaki and Haruhi 4ever
Summary: Story discontinued and given to Sisy.
1. Prologue: Be Careful What You Wish For

_**Antauri once said, "There will always be evil." Sometimes the evil things that happen can be from our own actions. Sparx had no idea how five simple words would change his life forever. **_

_**And through the trials Sparx would have to face, he would never begin to comprehend that he had never known what he had...**_

_**Until it was gone.**_

* * *

_**Prologue**_

Tension made itself known in the atmosphere. Either looks of fatigue, worry, or anger clouded the group's expressions. After several months of struggle and crushing pressure, it only grew worse as the truth became evident.

The red dots on the mainscreen were driving Sparx close to ballistic. "Okay, so let me get this straight-" Sparx wore a scowl as he stepped up closer, gesturing toward the rapidly growing red dots. "That's how much infantry Skeleton Freak has?"

"I'm afraid so, Sparx," Gibson spoke quietly, wearing a weary expression. It was apparent that the long, weary months had taken its toll on the intelligent simian.

They were all gathered in the mainroom, whereas Gibson was informing the Hyperforce of what the drastic situation of the war had grown to. "Skeleton King has been quiet for two weeks now," Chiro said, crossing his arms. "I wonder what he has up his sleeve."

"In this case, no news is _not _good news." Antauri looked up, his face troubled but his navy blue eyes reflecting that same wise assurance. "I'm afraid we have to expect and prepare for the worst. If I remember correctly, the most drastic of Skeleton King's attacks have purposed from long periods of scheming and diligent planning."

It had been four long months of war and most of Shuggazoom's army were deeply wounded, missing, or dead. Not many allies were left and the citizens of Shuggazoom were beginning to lose hope. A dark presence continued to wove its way around the Hyperforce and their people and choke them. The tension in the room nearly masked the disappointment of the Monkey Team members. Skeleton King's army continued to increase as theirs decreased--fast. It seemed like they had but little time left.

The uncomfortable silence was broken by a frustrated red monkey. "What are you saying, Antauri?" Sparx narrowed his eyes as he clenched and unclenched his fists. "That we don't stand a chance?"

Everyone was shocked at Sparx's outburst. Jinmay was the first to speak, her emerald green eyes shimmering with sadness. Her tone was soft and gentle, carrying like melodious winds. Yet the usual glimmer in her eyes were faded. "Sparx, he didn't say that."

"Isn't that what he's implying?" Sparx snapped, his eyes igniting with anger. "I'm sick and tired of all you going around like it's the end of the world. This war isn't over yet!"

Antauri frowned tiredly, suddenly looking as if the whole world rested on his shoulders.. "Sparx-" he began, only to be cut off.

"Just save it." Sparx crossed his arms and he shot a look that could kill at the mainscreen.

Nova stepped forward, her pink eyes registering concern. "Sparx." Unspoken words passed between them.

Sparx turned and met her eyes briefly, then spun on his heel and crossly made his departure. Chiro sideglanced at Antauri in concern. "That wasn't like him."

Antauri nodded wisely. "He is deeply troubled, as we all are. The war has affected everyone in one way or another." He closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts.

Nova glanced at the red transport tube where Sparx had left, then, after slight hesitation, followed. Emotions swam inside her and she swallowed, trying to force them down. She escaped the tense atmosphere and quietly made her way up the tube. Nova soon found Sparx sitting in a chair, absentmindedly polishing his magnets. "Sparx, are you okay?" she asked.

At the sound of Nova's voice, Sparx glanced up, slightly surprised. He hadn't heard her come up. He had been too absorbed in his thoughts to notice. His aggravation getting the best of him, Sparx glared at her. "Does it _look _like I'm okay?" he demanded sharply, then mentally kicked himself. Nova was just being concerned. Why did he snap at her like that?

Nova frowned. "Sparx, you're not the only one that's affected from the war. All of us are suffering." Her face fell a little, and something inside Sparx pained at the drained look in her eyes.

Sparx rolled his eyes. "I've heard it all before, Nova," he said sourly. "But let's face it--everyone's going at this like we're going to lose."

Nova crossed her arms and her frown grew more, the brash firmness inside her coming to surface. "Sparx, that's a lie and you know it. Everyone's doing the best they can but we're tired of the war, just like you. Things do look a little bleak right now. Wouldn't that be just a teensy disappointing after everything we've done?" Her voice now had an edge to it.

"Now you're acting like I haven't done anything to help!" Sparx stood up, shooting her a fierce glare.

Nova threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Sparx, honestly!"

Sparx, acting on the first angry thought that popped into his mind, pointed his finger at her, so close he could jab her in the chest if he'd wanted to. "Anyway, who are _you _to tell me to get over it? You're the one who's afraid to step outside if the air is a little nippy!"

Nova recoiled as if she'd been slapped. The words had hit their mark. Her mouth hung agape for a few moments, then was set in a firm line. "Sparx, that's entirely different. That has nothing to do with-"

"You know what, Nova?" Sparx coldly interrupted, taking a step backwards, his eyes completely filled with anger. Never in his life had he felt so...misguided. "You need to get a grip and move on. So what if Mandarin locked you up in the training room? That was _then_. You need to quit being a coward and get a life."

Nova blinked, wincing as she absorbed the painful blow. Her pink eyes ignited with fury and she took a menacing step forward. "Sparx, stop acting like a baby! All you're doing is taking your anger over the war out on everyone else. You need to grow up and move on for the sake of everyone's lives, and the war that's still going on. Do you even _realize _that the fate of Shuggazoom lies in our hands?! Do you??" She scowled at him and blinked rapidly, whether to get control of her anger or blink back tears, Sparx couldn't tell. Finally she sighed, her anger melting as she searched through Sparx's eyes. "You've never been the same since..." her voice faded and trailed off. By the sudden shock on her face at her own comment, it was evident she hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Sparx didn't have to hear the rest of her sentence to realize what she was referring to. But he asked anyway. "_What _are you _talking _about?" Sparx asked through his clenched teeth.

Nova looked away slightly. "Sparx..I miss the old you. The one I loved," she added in a whisper. She missed his corny puns and jokes that were used to break the tension. She missed the laidback Sparx who always looked at everything as an adventure. Ever since his incident with the Fire of Hate...well, he'd changed.

That was it. That was the last straw. She had said enough. Everything around him faded and suddenly he felt pure hatred. All he wanted was veagance. He wanted--no, no, _needed_--to make her _pay_ for what she'd said. The scene played slowly in his mind and it felt as if someone else was controlling his every move. It didn't seem real. Sparx's hand swung back, then shot forward to deliver a painful blow to Nova's cheek. And then everything returned to normal, and instead of feeling truimphant, Sparx felt a pit of regret slowly settle in his stomach as he saw hurt fill Nova's beautiful bubblegum eyes, her expression crushed and shocked. She slowly reached up to touch a red mark on her cheek.

Sparx wanted to apologize and tell her how sorry he was, that it wasn't him doing that, it was...it was..the Fire of Hate, Sparx suddenly realized in his pride and shock wouldn't allow him to. He opened and closed his mouth numerous times as he racked his mind, trying to think of something to say.

Nova avoided eye contact as her hurt-filled eyes gazed at the ground. "I don't need you ruining my life anymore, Sparx," she murmured. She turned and slowly started to walk back to the transport tube. Sparx felt a mix of emotions hit him hard. But the one that hit the hardest was fury. He refused to let her have the last word. He wouldn't have it!

Sparx glowered at the yellow monkey, balling up his fists. He'd never felt so furious, but even so, the words that left his mouth surprised even him.

"Yeah? Well, I hate you so much _I wish you didn't exist_!"

Nova stopped and he saw her stiffen. She turned her head slightly and Sparx saw such a hurt expression on her face that it nearly broke him. He thought he even saw a glimpse of tears in her shimmering eyes. Then she turned back, straightened, and walked back out with as much dignity as she could muster.

Suddenly everything dawned on him and Sparx smacked his forehead. _Why was I so mad at her? Nova didn't deserve that! _Refusing to dwell on the thoughts and, pushing away his guilt, Sparx decided to walk around a bit to clear his thoughts. He found that his destination of his pointless wandering was Nova's training room. _Of course it has to be __**Nova's **__training room, _he thought, groaning inwardly. Feeling sleep heavy on his eyelids, Sparx groggily found a comfortable corner and sat down. He refused to feel guilty about his quarrel with Nova. No doubt, that was the worst one they'd EVER had.

As soon as Sparx shut his eyes and fell asleep, reality collided with time and the galaxies spun as something drastic took place. Little did Sparx know that when he would awaken, his life would be changed forever.

* * *

_"Be careful what you wish for 'cause you just might get it all.."_

_**----------------------------------**_

_**This is where our story begins.**_


	2. Unanswered Questions

**A/N: I'm baaaack!! And sooo excited about starting KPY, my first official Spova story!! *squeals* I'm so glad you guys liked the prologue, I can't wait to see how this story unfolds. Thanks for taking this step at a time with me, reviewers! I hope you like my story, and if you have any ideas, don't hesitate to tell me! :) Oh, by the way, I'll be posting at the end of each chapter a line of lyrics in a song. Here's the point--you guys have to guess the song! If you get it right, you'll get a virtual hug from your fave SRMTHFG characters! Ain't that right, guys?**

**Sparx: Whatever. Just start the story!!**

**Right. *clears throat* But I'm gonna tell the reviewers which song I used for the prologue. At the end of the prologue, the line was "Be careful what you wish for, 'cause you might just get it all.." That was from the official song of this story, "Home" by Daughtry! Applause, applause. Well, I better start the story before y'all fall asleep on me! DISCLAIMER! Antauri, will you take it away? :D *fangirl giggle***

**Antauri: Certainly. Beth does not, nor ever will, own Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go.**

**Very nice. Now, I hope y'all like it!! :D**

* * *

_**Chapter One: Unanswered Questions**_

Sparx's mind slowly came to focus and he groaned as he sat upright. His back ached from leaning up against the wall. How long had he slept--a couple hours? It seemed like an eternity.

As Sparx got up and stretched, something at the back of his mind nagged him. Something didn't feel right. He couldn't pinpoint it, but...something was missing. He could feel it.

Sparx shrugged off the thoughts and made it the first thing on his mental to-do list to apologize to Nova, even though his pride screamed at him. He'd look like a idiot. Suddenly something caught his attention, and Sparx gazed upwards. Where they usually stored their extra powers--magnets, drills, saws--Nova's giant pink-and-yellow fists were missing. He shook off the feeling gnawing at him and made his way out of the training room. Sparx found himself approaching Nova's room, and he winced. Oh well. Better get this over with before the rest of the team sensed something was wrong.

As Sparx peered into the room, he saw with surprise that..it wasn't Nova's room at all. There was no yellow transport tube, no punching bag...nothing. It was vacant except for a lone radio in the corner. Sparx shook his head, dazed. _Something weird's goin' on here..._He hurried to the room where all of the monkeys except Antauri slept. They all slept in their separate tubes. As Sparx rushed in, he saw there were only three tubes. Nova's was gone. He blinked.

"Is this some kinda joke?" Sparx muttered under his breath feverishly. He was growing more impatient by the second. What the heck was going on??

Sparx took off down the hall, it being more narrow than he remembered. He spoke up loudly, so that Nova could hear him, where ever she was hiding. She was avoiding him, no doubt. He knew he couldn't blame her, he'd be doing the same thing in her shoes. But he was still ticked off.

"Nova? Alright, you can come out now. I know you're mad. Listen, I'm sorry, ok?" Sparx cleared his throat. Still no answer. He felt anger boiling inside of him and he grit his teeth, forcing himself to remain calm. Surely Nova wouldn't answered him by now...unless she was being an immature chimp. Sparx looked around, confused. "Nova?"

Oh well. Suit herself. He didn't have to do anything. Let her be that way. He didn't care.

Sparx went to the mainroom, where Gibson, Otto, Antauri, and Jinmay were centered around the mainscreen. _Where's the kid? _he silently wondered.

"Hey, guys, where's Nova?" Sparx asked as casually as he could. The team turned and stared back at him, perplexity crossing their features.

"Who's Nova?" Otto finally spoke up.

Okay, this was going too far. "You're kidding me, right?" Sparx crossed his arms. "Okay, guys, ha-ha. Very funny. Now cut the act, Seriously, where is she?"

"Sparx, _what _are you talking about?" Jinmay's brows scrunched together in confusion. Sparx clenched and unclenched his fists. This was _so _not funny.

Finally he let out a whoosh of air. "Fine. Act like that, see if I care." Sparx gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes to emphasize his point, and he saw Gibson and Antauri exchange glances. The looks on their faces were unmistakable. They read, _He's gone nuts!_

"Alright then. Where's the kid?" Sparx looked at them impatiently as a tense silence draped over the atmosphere. He tapped his foot. "C'mon, guys. I can't _wait _to hear this one."

Tears filled Jinmay's eyes and she glanced away, intaking a sharp breath. Immediately Sparx's enraged nature was replaced with deep concern. "What happened? Did something happen to him? Where is Chiro?!" he demanded all at once.

Gibson looked at him forlornly. "Sparx, you know quite well we don't care to speak of that matter," he spoke sharply.

Sparx's mind whirled. He hadn't been asleep _that _long, had he? "C'mon, you guys, spill. Why are you acting like this, so secretive all of a sudden?"

Antauri glanced at him in concern, brow furrowed. "Sparx, you honestly don't recall the incident?" he inquired.

"I've been asleep for what, two hours? What all have I missed since then? Before I woke up, everything was just fine!" Sparx grit his teeth, red dots dancing in his vision.

Otto opened his mouth, but before anyone could speak, the Super Robot's alarm system went off. Everyone's head jerked toward the screen. "Trouble!" Jinmay exclaimed. "It's Ma and Pa Senko and their army again!"

Gibson sighed wearily. "They're unstoppable, it seems."

"Well, we won't give up," Jinmay responded determinedly.

Sparx's mind was churning at one-hundred miles an hour. What the heck? Ma and Pa Senko? They had taken those two out a _long _time ago, hadn't they? They were in the middle of a war! Sparx glanced at the monitor screen in bewilderment. _It's snowing? What the heck? We haven't had snow since..._A loud crash interrupted the red simian's thoughts and he lost his balance, landing flat on his face on the cold floor.

"Monkeys, mobilize!" Antauri's authorative voice rang out.

Sparx leapt off the floor and turned to head for the transport tubes, but discovered in shock that there were no colorful tubes. Just sliding doors. "What the--"

"Sparx, where're you going?" Otto shouted. He and the rest of the team were in the pod chairs, controls at their hands.

Gibson looked back and gave Sparx a sharp look. "Hurry to your position, Sparx! There's no time to waste!"

Sparx scrambled for a red pod chair and plopped himself down, glancing in confusion at his controls. This had to be a dream or something. A weird, strange dream.

"Sparx, fire your rocket missiles! NOW!" Jinmay commanded. "That should take 'em down, at least for a little while. It'll buy us some time."

Sparx's thumbs grasped for the controls. He wanted to ask which button it was, but that would just make him look ridiculous. "C'mon, c'mon.."

"Sparx!" Gibson cried out. "NOW!"

Sparx finally laid his glance on some buttons and in desperation pressed his thumbs over them. _Please please let it be the right one..._Even if this was a dream, the tension and the desperate atmosphere seemed oh so real. Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. "That should do, for now," Jinmay said, getting up, then turned to Sparx with a frown. "What held you back, Sparx?"

"I..I.." Sparx tried to come up with an answer, but failed. "..I don't know, kid."

"You better pull yourself together, Sparx," Gibson cut in angrily. "We don't have time to tolerate this nonsense."

Sparx threw his hands in the air, enraged. "Me?! _You're _the ones hiding secrets from me! Seriously, what the heck is goin' on here?!" Before anyone could answer, Sparx turned on his heel and fled from the room. All of a sudden he felt sick to his stomach. Something was very very wrong here.

Everyone glanced at Antauri in confusion simutaneously as Sparx made his hasty departure. "Antauri, what-" Jinmay began, but Antauri cut in, eyes closed in thought.

"I am not certain, Jinmay. Only time will tell."

* * *

_"So many questions without answers, your promises remain.."_

* * *

**A/N: Poor Sparx! I can't help but feel sorry to them even if he's being a jerk. I would be SO confused! ^^ Well, I hope you enjoyed this however short chapter. I hope to have the next one posted soon. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! ^_^ Take care and God bless, I'm out! Now, REVIEW! :D**


	3. It Can't Be True

**A/N: Heyyy! I'm baaack! I just got through reading the updates of ****Artisan Brown****'s story, "City of Ice". All I can say is WOW. If you haven't read it, I really encourage you to. It's magnificient and left me breathless, seriously. Alrighty, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Oh, and since nobody could figure out the song I posted in the last chapter, I'll tell you! It was "Hold My Heart" by Tenth Avenue North. Such a pretty song. Okie dokie, here we go! Hope ya like!**

* * *

_**Chapter Two: It Can't Be True**_

The doors opened with a swoosh as Otto peeked his head in the dark, dreary room. Sparx was rummaging--no, no, _pawing_--through several drawers. Pilot magazines lay strewn across the floor as Sparx searched for something obviously important. "Whatcha doin', Sparx?" Otto asked, his tone missing the cheerful tune it usually carried.

Sparx didn't even turn from his task. "Looking for somethin'."

"I never woulda guessed that," Otto said sarcastically. Sparx looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

Usually Otto wasn't one to pop off sarcastic comments. That was Sparx's area. Even in the war they were going through--or went through before he woke up, or whatever stupid dream this was--Otto always managed to remain cheerful and lift everyone's spirits at the most needed times. But now, he seemed...different. Sparx shook his head and returned to his drawers that had already been turned upside down. "Never mind. Do you know where my magnet polishing kit is?"

Otto blinked. "Your what?"

Sparx refrained from rolling his eyes, as hard as it was. "My magnet. Polishing. Kit. Did I say it too fast for you?"

Otto frowned and looked upwards, as if trying to remember. "..Doesn't ring a bell." He shrugged.

Sparx gave in and gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Jeez. Clueless," he muttered. Otto looked hurt.

"What's wrong with you, Sparx?" Otto asked. "Before you came back from the training room, you...well.."

Suddenly Sparx remembered something. Nova had given him the magnet polishing kit..for what, he couldn't recall. Maybe it was after complaining she had smudged his magnets for several days. Sparx ignored Otto's question and wheeled on him. "Whatever joke you guys are playing, I want you to stop," he snapped harshly. "This. Is not. Funny. Anymore. Got it?"

An even more hurt expression swept across Otto's face. "What are you talkin' about? We're not playing any jokes."

"Oh, yeah. Right." Bitterness edged along the lines of Sparx's words. "Okay, let me name them off. First off, you pretend like you don't have a clue who Nova is. Ridiculous. Two, you don't tell me where Chiro is. And three.."

"Chiro's dead!" At this unusually loud statement, Otto's eyes widened and he covered his mouth as if he'd done something terribly wrong. It was obvious he hadn't meant to say it.

Sparx's anger dissolved to deep concern..and anguish. "..What? The kid's..dead?" Stunned, Sparx plopped down in a conveniently placed chair.

Otto looked at him sadly. "Ya mean..you don't remember? Anything?" His voice squeaked.

"..No. All I know is that somehow everything changed after I took a two-hour nap!" Sparx sighed, then looked up at the green simian. "Tell me, Otto. _Please. _I need some answers. What..happened to Chiro?" he dared to ask, his voice unintentionally lowering to a whisper.

Otto gazed at the ground, avoiding eye contact. He looked uncomfortable. "..Do you remember that whole thing with the Dark One Worm? How you went down there with Chiro to rescue those stranded people..but they were those creepy-looking alien things?"

"Humor me." Sparx leaned back, feeling numb with disbelief. This _had _to be a dream. There was no other explanation.

Otto looked wary to continue. "Well..we were tryin' to stop that worm. We saw a wrecked ship down there on the worm, and you and Chiro went down there to check it out. We thought everything was okay. But then we got a distress call from you guys, and we went down there. Turned out, they weren't people at all. Antauri said they'd been corrupted. Now they were freaky alien things. But then we got sucked into a portal the worm blew up, and it ate us. Me, you, and Gibson were together and we escaped. Antauri was at the top fighting the Skeleton King head. We searched for Chiro for a long time, but we never found him. Just before the worm blew up from the whammo-kablammo things we put on it, we all escaped in the Super Robot. Everybody except Chiro." His face fell. "Then we went back to Shuggazoom, where everybody was waitin' for us. We..we didn't wanna tell 'em about Chiro, but we had to. Jinmay was real sad. But she became our leader after that."

"..Wow. What a tale." Sparx sat back, letting the news sink in. "You mean to tell me..we just left our leader in there?"

"We had to." Otto's eyes dimmed.

"Alright then. Clear up another thing for me." Still grieved at the news about their leader, Sparx sat forward. "Where's Nova? What happened to her?"

Otto's brow furrowed. "Who's that Nova you keep talkin' about?" he asked. "You never talked about her before. It's a real pretty name though."

Sparx clenched his fists, squelching the urge to land a blow on Otto's face. "Stop that!" he shouted so suddenly it made Otto cower back. Sparx took a deep breath. "Listen. I can take a joke. But you guys are seriously pushing it."

"Sparx, I'm _not _joking!" Otto protested. His eyes were wide. "I'm tellin' the truth!"

Sparx rubbed his temples. "Okay, let's pretend Nova _isn't _real. I'm playing along." He felt a scowl forming on his face, then shivered. "Why the heck is it so _cold _in here?!"

Otto looked like a memory sparked. "Oh yeah! Gibson forgot to fix the heater thing. I gotta remind him later." He grinned. "Sure hard to get around in the snow. But it makes good ice cream!"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Sparx waved his hands, trying to steer the direction of the conversation back on track. "Snow?"

Otto blinked. "Yeah, silly. It's snowed here for what...a year? Two years?" He frowned. "We could never beat that witch lady thing. Wonder what happened to her..." His voice trailed off.

Sparx blinked in disbelief. Suddenly everything dawned on him and it didn't seem like a joke anymore. They had only beat that witch thing because Nova had been there. If everyone was telling the truth...a chill ran down Sparx's spine. He shook his head. "Wait..didn't we all get frozen by that thing?"

Otto nodded proudly. "All of you guys did except me! I got up to the Super Robot just in time and got the Super Robot's heater working. Then I thawed all of you."

Sparx felt a headache forming, and a brutal one, at that. He rubbed his forehead. His mind was whirling so fast it hurt to think. Then what about Ma and Pa Shenko? Before he could ask, the answer hit him hard. They had only defeated Ma and Pa Shenko because Chiro and Nova were the only ones unconscious. Together they had overthrown the creepy heads. Suddenly Sparx felt sick to his stomach. Something was very, very wrong here. Maybe something had teleported him to an alternate universe. Maybe..

Suddenly Otto's ebony eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Sparx, look out!" he shouted.

A loud crash rang in Sparx's ears and all he was aware of was a big blow to the back of his head and the floor rushing up to meet his face before darkness overtook him.

* * *

_"I've been sleeping a thousand years, it seems...got to open my eyes to everything.."_

* * *

**A/N: DUN DUN DUNNN! Cliffhanger! :P See if you can guess the song this time, it's pretty easy. Anyways, sorry the chapter's so short, the next one should make up for it. I hope you guys like it so far! Now, REVIEW! I'm out! ^_^ Take care and God bless!!**


	4. Realization

**A/N: OMG! I am SOOOO SO SO sorry I haven't updated in such a long time!! What can I say, I've been stuck between being busy and having writer's block. :( BUT! I had a renewed vigor to update this fic when I heard "Home" by Daughtry come on the radio this morning and when I read Sisy's newest fanfic (it's wonderful!). OH! And remember what I said about whoever guessed the song in the last chapter would get a virtual hug from their fave SRMTHFG character? Well, three lucky people got it correct! *drum roll* ****xxAllTheWorldsAStagexx****, ****Tapwafana1991****, and ****Shira Tsukiko****! Applause, applause. xDD SPARX, GET YOUR DANG MONKEY BUTT OUT HERE!**

**Sparx: You ARE paying me for this, right?**

**Hey, I'm already writing a fic that's all about you. AND Nova. What more can you want? Anyway, give these girls a hug!**

**Sparx: *hugs xxAllTheWorldsAStage and does the call-me sign***

**Nova: *smacks him with her tail* -__-**

**xDD**

**Sparx: *hugs Tapwafana1991* Beth made me read your story. *thumbs-up* Great job!**

**Chyea..I know people. x3**

**Sparx: *hugs Shira Tsukiko* Guess this wasn't ALL bad..what lovely girls. *winks***

**Nova: C'mon, you. *drags him out by his tail***

***snickers* Alrighty, now with the chapter! Again, sorry for such the late update. I already failed a lot of people with the dare story, and I don't wanna do the same with my biggest fanfic ever. x33 I hope I haven't lost all my reviewers. *tear* Anyyyyways, here we go!!!**

* * *

_**Chapter Three: Realization**_

_"I hate you so much I wish you didn't exist...didn't exist..didn't exist...I hate you.."_

Bits and pieces of Sparx's fierce argument with Nova replayed over and over in his mind. Again and again he saw Nova's beautiful pink eyes filled with pain and tears, and he wanted to smack the idiot who had been the cause of the look in her eyes. Then Sparx would remember..it was him who had done that very thing.

_"I don't need you ruining my life anymore, Sparx..Sparx...Sparx.."_

He faded in and out of consciousness, hardly aware of his surroundings anymore. All Sparx was aware of was swimming in his own sea of guilt, the waves of despair threatening to overtake him. And Nova was in the middle of it all, staring down at him with those bubblegum eyes that were filled with misery. Then suddenly she spoke. "Sparx..Sparx.."

The voice gradually changed to a mix of familiar voices. "Sparx!" He forced to open his eyes, that itself being a great struggle. Blurs like that of a watercolor painting greeted him as he groggily awakened. The entire Hyperforce--minus Nova and Chiro--was staring down at him in concern. Disappointment immediately added to the bottled emotions he felt. He had hoped he could wake up from his dream--no, _nightmare_. But did that mean...this was real? A tremor trickled down Sparx's spine and he groaned aloud, his head spinning. Nausea and pain hit him hard as he lay on his back, on the cold bed in the Medical Bay.

"He's regaining consciousness!" Gibson informed the others, his voice sounding much too far away. Sparx forced himself to stay awake, and that itself seemed to drain what little energy he had left.

"What..happen..ed?" Sparx asked when he was only half-certain he could speak, the words sounding foreign on his tongue.

Antauri glanced at him with sympathetic eyes..the only thing that seemed familiar in this new world Sparx had been thrown in. "Do not attempt to speak, Sparx. You must rest."

"..Some of Ma and Pa Shenko's minions found their way into the robot," Jinmay explained gently. "And they ambushed you."

Suddenly a memory came to surface. "O-Otto!" Sparx shouted, sitting up sharply with bleary eyes. "Is he.."

"I"m right here, Sparx!" Otto called, his voice sounding distant to Sparx's ears. Sparx frantically looked around for the source of the voice, what direction it was coming from, but Gibson and Jinmay gently laid him back down.

"You should be thanking your lucky stars, Sparx. If it wasn't for Otto's being there, you could have been annilated easily." Gibson's rapid typing filled the room. "As for now, you should concentrate on recovering."

A deep homesick feeling gnawed at Sparx's insides, and he moaned the name of the face that was in his every thought. "Nova.."

"This again?" Gibson frowned. "Whom is this 'Nova' character he keeps referring to?"

"A figment of his imagination, most likely. Perhaps he had a dream of some sort that makes him believe Nova is indeed real." Antauri crossed his arms, deep in thought.

Sparx was only half aware of his teammates' conversation.

_"I hate you so much I wish you didn't exist.."_

A sudden realization struck him so hard he never topped off the bed. He was vaguely aware of the heart monitor's rapid beeping echoing in the room. Suddenly he wasn't in the medical bay anymore..he was up in his room, with Nova..

_"Yeah? Well, I hate you so much I wish you didn't exist! Didn't exist..didn't exist.."_

Sparx opened his mouth to yell, to shout, to say ANYTHING...but nothing came out. He saw his hand reach up and smack Nova across the face, and it played time and time again in his mind...every time the scene passed, he felt even more sick to his stomach.

..This world he was in...this alternate universe...HE had done this? HE had caused this? By a stupid thing he'd said out of anger that he didn't even mean? Because of him, Nova was gone...a second time? The wormhole incident was all about he could bear...Nova couldn't be gone. She couldn't. He had never even gotten to tell her...

His heart beat lifelessly in his chest as the full impact hit him hard, leaving him struggling for breath. The memories disappeared and his vision blurred.

_Just let me die. I deserve it._

Sparx let out a hopeless wail, full of despair and disbelief..._Nova..you can't..just __**leave **__me! You can't! Not again!_

"Nooovaaaaa!!"

* * *

Jinmay's emerald eyes blinked desperately to hold back tears. "Antauri! Gibson! What's happening?"

"DO something!" Otto chimed in, ebony eyes wide in uncertainty.

Sparx lay thrashing in his bed, his heart rate quickening threateningly. Gibson was rushing around, doing everything within his grasp, Antauri assisting. If they didn't take action..

"..Sparx is giving up the fight." Antauri spoke solemnly.

Jinmay, anguished, rushed over to the side of the bed and gripped Sparx's hand. "Sparx! Let us help you! Don't give up! Please!"

"Nova.." He spoke one more time, voice barely audible, then his bleary eyes slowly closed.

Just as it seemed the heart monitor would go flat...his heart rate returned to normal. Everyone collectively sighed in relief as their tensed bodies slowly relaxed. Sparx was shaking violently.

Antauri studied the red simian with wise eyes. "I have reason to believe Sparx's ailment is not only physical..but a war with the mind, as well."

"What's wrong with him?" Otto asked, voice low and concerned.

"I can't be certain. But I am positive it has something to do with this Nova he keeps mentioning."

Eventually Otto and Jinmay went out to the mainroom to keep a close eye on everything, whereas Gibson and Antauri kept watch on Sparx. Once he awakened, not as frantic as before, but a deep grief in his eyes.

"You've gotta believe me...there _was _a Nova on our team. She was one of our best fighters. You can't just forget about her!"

Then before Antauri or Gibson would speak, he would pass out again. This continued time and time again until Gibson finally exploded, frustrated.

"Sparx, you need to stop this. You'll drive yourself nuts if you convince yourself this girl existed. Nova is _not real _and she never will be. She's a figment of your imagination and that's all she'll ever be."

Sparx buried his head in his hands and whimpered. "Just stop."

"Sparx-"

"I said STOP IT!" Sparx whipped his head up furiously. "You don't understand. You'll _never _understand. You can't read my heart. Nova existed and I was _in love _with her."

His anger crumbled to despair, all the strength within him draining. His voice lowered.

"I never meant for this to happen..."

* * *

Antauri knew what he had to do..there was only one way to prove whether or not Sparx was sincere or if he was..plain and simple, going insane.

Slowly he reached for his helmet.

* * *

_"Maybe I regret everything I said...no way to take it all back.."_

* * *

**A/N: Whew! This chapter didn't turn out the way I planned it, and I'm soo sorry if it seemed forced or if it didn't flow, if you know what I mean. I guess it's a start though. I PROMISE I'm gonna update more! ^_^ Now review! I'm out!**


	5. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

Okay, everybody! I'm sorry to say I've lost inspiration for this story. SRMTHFG doesn't air where I live anymore, and thus my interest for it has lessened. :/ I'm really, really sorry. I totally hate it when an author doesn't finish a good story. But I've left Keeping You Near in good hands. One of my good friends and the ultimate Spova fan, Sisy, has agreed to rewrite the story in her version. I gave her all the ideas I had for the entire story, but I encouraged her to change it in her style as she saw fit.

I want every single one of my reviewers to give Sisy feedback on her version of KYN. It would mean the world to both of us! I would totally appreciate it. You guys have been the best reviewers, and if you want to read the rest of the story, you're gonna have to see Sisy. She's posted the prologue of it already, and has done an incredible job of it! Please, please check it out.

Again, I'm so so sorry for this inconvenience. But Spova will forever live on as my number one favorite couple. :D

Take care and God bless!

~Neji and TenTen 4ever


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